Where Nature Would Bring Her
by Inert Hyperbole
Summary: Éowyn gets lost in the woods while exploring her new home.


_I've been on holiday, which is why here hasn't been anything new for a while! I hope I'll be able to keep writing, although I already am getting stressed about school starting again._

_Anyway, this piece is the longest I've written so far; I did manage to get some dialog into it, although I fear it's sadly lacking. Other than that, I'm reasonably pleased with it, and, most importantly, it was very entertaining to write!_

* * *

When the sound of a fast flow of water had reached her ears what seemed like a long while ago, Éowyn had thought it a good idea to follow it and see where it would bring her. The swift changing of the nature in this part of the world bewildered and fascinated her; having grown up on the plains of Rohan, forests had always seemed dangerous and menacing. It was a stark contrast, coming here: Éowyn silently wondered when - if ever - she would get used to rarely seeing the horizon unless she climbed the slopes high up.

She reckoned that almost an hour had passed since she had first heard the noises of water, although it was tricky to tell in the almost neverending dusk beneath the thick crowns of tall trees. All around her was green; the light that did make its way down through the lush leaves coloured the ground, the brown bark, and even her own skin in various shades of green.

Pausing her stride, Éowyn tried to find the sound of water again. It seemed almost as though she had been walking past that same heap of boulders overgrown with damp moss at least a dozen times, although she had no way of knowing for certain; everything looked more or less the same in these lands, at least to the eyes of a foreigner.

The sudden crack of a dry twig breaking beneath a thick sole made her gasp and look around, her eyes wide. She had expected to be all alone in this wilderness. As Éowyn hunched down behind the moss-clad boulders there came into view, to her relief, no ally of the foes left to his own devices by accident, as she had momentarily feared, but a man of familiar appearance, walking in leisure with a short walking stick swinging wildly at his side.

Éowyn's soft chuckle made the man stop abruptly, for he had not noticed her presence; not until she stood, gracefully, to her full height there behind the boulders, did he lower the stick and let out a gasp of astonishment. "Éowyn! What _art_ thou doing here?"

"Same as thou, my lord; I daresay we are both out walking!" She grinned widely as she stepped out from her hiding place, moving towards her beloved.

"_Here?_ Why in Earth's name would anyone -?"

"I got lost. I was walking yonder," she indicated the direction she believed was where she had come from with a small nod of the head, "when I heard a noise, as if of running water. I tried to follow, and came... hither." She looked at him solemnly; "Now I cannot find the origin of the sound, and have not yet attempted to find my way back home."

While she was speaking, she could see the corners of Faramir's mouth quirk upwards, and as he opened his mouth to speak, she folded her arms over her chest. "May I ask my lord what he thinks is so funny?"

"Of course, but I will retain the right not to answer thee." He paused for a moment, then, with a charming smile, offered Éowyn his elbow. "And may I, in turn, inquire as to whether or not my lady wishes to be shown the way home?"

Éowyn raised her eyebrows. "You may. And my answer is, that yes, I do - but only if a promise will be given that this will not be the subject of mockery in the future - and that the smug smile presently residing on my lord's face will be made to go away at the soonest!"

She did not take the offered arm until he had complied with her second demand, and agreed to her first. Faramir covered her hand with his, and without further ado they walked off at a brisk pace.

As they approached their destination - home - neither of them noticed that the other's steps grew slower, since they were also both walking more slowly themselves.

While they walked, they talked of pleasant things; of the mild weather, of their friends in cities and forests and plains, of the beauty of life. But they did not speak of the most pleasant thing of all: one another.

She, on her side, was glad she had been found; not only because she had been lost, but also because walking with Faramir was very pleasant.

He, on his side, was glad he had been found; not only because he feared that she might actually have been lost, but also because walking with Éowyn was very pleasant.


End file.
